Vertical/Complete Vaginal Septum | Symptoms & Causes
What are the symptoms of vertical or complete vaginal septum?
Common symptoms include:
- Pain upon inserting a tampon
- Menstrual blood leaks out even with a tampon inserted
What causes vertical or complete vaginal septum?
A vertical or complete vaginal septum forms during embryological development when the tubes that eventually become a vagina don't fuse together properly. The cause of this genetic abnormality is unknown.
Vertical/Complete Vaginal Septum | Diagnosis & Treatments
How is vertical or complete vaginal septum diagnosed?
During an examination, your daughter's gynecologist can confirm that a wall of fibrous tissue is partitioning the vagina into two canals.
How is a vertical/complete vaginal septum treated?
A surgical procedure is performed to resect or remove the fibrous tissue dividing your daughter's vagina.
The surgery needs to remove the entire septum. If all the tissue isn't removed, there could be a band of tissue running along the top and bottom of the vagina, and this may make sex uncomfortable. This is why the gynecologist at Boston Children's will remove the entire septum and bring the two sides of the vagina together to create a normal vaginal texture.
How we care for vertical or complete vaginal septums
At the Boston Children's Hospital Division of Gynecology and Center for Congenital Anomalies of the Reproductive Tract, an interdisciplinary team of pediatricians, gynecologists, urogynecologists, and colorectal surgeons will work to find the best treatment for your daughter's vertical or complete vaginal septum.
